The Bourbon Theater is an incredible venue. Last night was our first time visiting and we're already trying to find time to make it back up here for another show. If you're looking for a smaller venue with the big concert vibe, then I would highly encourage you to give this place a try! read more

We were kicked out because my wife "looked drunk" she was not drinking. She was wearing high heels and it was hard to walk. The bouncers are on a power trip. They were extremely rude, read more

The worst experience I have ever had at a concert. From the minute we walked in the door, the staff was extremely rude and condescending. They targeted our group of college students and parents. The security guard "hawked" them for the short time we were there and would run after them when they went to the bathroom. Extremely confrontational and unwelcoming. It appears this behavior is encouraged and permitted from the top down. We will never be back. read more

Be very wary of this of the venue. I've know multiple women who have gotten their drinks spiked here, It's common knowledge to locals. If you go, go in a group and drink out of cans and be safe. read more

It is very hot in here!!! Dress appropriately! Other than that always have a great time at the Bourbon Theater :) read more

Bourbon Theater - a crowd of people standing outside - Music Venues Near Me - Lincoln, Nebraska

This was my first visit to this music venue. I. Really like it -small,more intimate. Lights and sound all good, good service. I went to hear a Grammy winning blues artist but Danielle Nicole was focused on her and her husband playing rock guitar. Left after an hour. Disappointing concert but great venue. read more

Went to see Pet Rock perform. Service was great, sound system superb! Highly recommend attending a concert here.

This is one of my favorite venues. It's about 2 hours from home but worth my drive. I've seen quite a few shows here and although it's nothing fancy, when I walk in I feel good and know it's gonna be a great night! I've seen acts ranging from The Wailers to Stone Temple Pilots to Uncured. Definitely one of my happy places! read more

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One of the better places in Lincoln to get a drink and/or catch a show. I've only been here a few times, but so far they've always been solid experiences. Just a few weeks ago some people and I went to a rave here in support of somebody's frat or something. No acid (at least that I could tell), but plenty of alcohol and neon, so 2 out of 3 ain't bad XD There's two bars, one by the entrance and another one in the music venue further back. Their prices are comparable to most other places for beers and mixed drinks. I was having mostly tall boys of Miller Lite just to get drunk, but I also tried a gin and tonic that was mixed very smooth. I've heard their other cocktails are legit, so next time I'll have to try some and tell y'all how they are. Some decent concerts come through here, for Lincoln anyway. Mostly local or regional bands, from what I've seen mostly rock or rap or techno. The music hall itself is kinda small, but it'll fit probably 100 or so people standing and packed in. read more

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I've been here for a couple different events and overall have been pretty pleased. One event was for a comedy show and the tiered seating made it easy to see. The second was for a rave show and acoustics were good and there was plenty of space to fit the crowd. The bars are conveniently located in a couple different places so that it breaks up the line and is more efficient. Both times I didn't really have to wait long for drinks and the drinks were pretty good. Cost is also pretty reasonable. Getting into the shows both times was easy. For the rave they used a smaller entrance which was sufficient. For the comedy show they had multiple doors with several people checking tickets Cleanliness is average, could be better. I love the old school theatre vibe. Overall I'll be happy to return for shows in the future. read more

Security was rude, and hostile. He escalated every situation he felt with and caused more problems then he solved. Ruinases the whole experience read more

I came to the Bourbon for a show a few days ago and I was really happy with the experience. The theater is located on the edge of downtown Lincoln so you still have easy access to bars/restaurants if you would like to pregame before the show as I did. On the outside you can appreciate the badass marquis with the artist listed. Once inside, you are immediately at the main bar and the band merchandise stand. The bartenders were quick and friendly with the booze at a price of $4-7 per drink. You have the option of going to the upper tier or the general admission (depending on the show) and I chose to go to the floor. There is another bar on the floor and on the upper tier to keep the drinks flowing. The size and acoustics of the venue are really great for an intimate acoustic show or a raging rock fest. Overall I would definitely visit the Bourbon for another show. read more

I went to see a show here last night and it was my first time there. It seemed pretty well organized----there was some delay with the meet and greet but that's on band management, not the venue. It's not huge so you get a great view. The upper level bartender was very friendly and knew how to run a bar. Drinks were reasonable....I had Jack and Coke for five bucks and tall boy domestic beers for 4. My only complaint is that the vaping funk is kind of thick at times and really disgusting. Honestly, I'd rather just deal with real smoke than that foul stuff. Anyway, I am coming to another show next month and look forward to it. read more

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Took two teens (kiddo and a friend) here for an all ages show in winter 2019. It's a decent venue without being too dive-bar-y. Sound and production quality were good but most impressively the venue's security were constantly present (not obtrusive, just well situated and clearly keeping an eye on things) throughout the entire evening. Didn't stop the crowd from having fun and the girls had an absolute blast seeing the bands in a smaller venue. read more

Update: Don't get a drink after a show is over. You'll waste your money. Head to Bodegas instead. We had full beers that were confiscated rudely and abruptly by staff and it was 1am. Meanwhile, several other people were still inside mingling around the bar so it appears they weren't that close to closing anyway, but I feel that was the intent of taking our drinks away so they can get out of there earlier. Great smaller venue that brings In reasonably priced local music acts and lots of good mainstream acts and shows too. That being said, that is about the only perk of the bourbon. Customer service needs some serious work as well as accessibility to buying tickets at the box office for shows in advance. Obviously this is preferred since they charge more at the door the day of a show and also charge a fee for purchasing them online. First off, they don't have a phone number you can call-all the information must be obtained through their Facebook page or the website. I've inquired via the 'contact us' box on the website before regarding whether my husbands' son (who was 17 at the time) could attend an 18+ show and no response was ever received from them. Another time we were at a different show with him, and he was rudely questioned by security regarding the glass that his root beer was in, as they put soda in a different type of cup. I'm sorry that YOUR bartender gave us the soda in that cup. Train your staff better instead of jumping to the conclusion that he was drinking illegally with his father, myself, and his grandparents also present. Make sure you only go to try to get tickets during the open box office hours-those are only posted on the Facebook page. Even on a night they have a show, they won't sell them after 6. You might assume since people are there anyway you can just get a ticket. Nope. That hour between 6-7 is a no-go. Also, if the show is 'Sold out' that night and you try to stop in, they won't sell you a ticket to other shows during sold out shows, as they just focus on that one. Well, then make that information CLEAR or posted on your website or Facebook page, because we obviously again assumed since you are open we will be able to get tickets. We could have called, but you don't have a phone. It was awesome walking out of our way in the cold...for nothing. Staff were loud and rude when explaining this to us also, you could tell they didn't even want to deal with it. I guess the fact they are a specific type of venue in lincoln allows them to be rude as hell towards customers. Best advice-don't assume anything and make sure you look up those box office hours if you are trying to get tickets. I guess you can get tickets during a show that isn't 'sold out' but who knows. Bartenders have generally been nice, but beer is somewhat pricey for just a bud light. read more

NOTE: This review concerns the bar and not the music venue! During my last visit to Lincoln several weeks ago I visited a number of the better places to get a good cocktail. Without a doubt, the Bourbon Theater is the best place in Lincoln for truly distinctive cocktails. Luke Edson was behind the bar and is the man behind the amazing selection and cocktails available at the Bourbon Theater. My first cocktail that Luke prepared was a twist on a Rob Roy that was excellent, and better than the original, classic cocktail. The second cocktail that I had was Luke's own Mont Blanc, a delicious cocktail with brandy, bianco vermouth, averna and maraschino liqueur. Again, an amazing masterpiece and one of the best cocktails that I've ever had. As for the atmosphere, yes, it's lacking as a high end cocktail lounge. I was there on a Wednesday night and the house music that was being mixed was entertaining, but not conducive to enjoying the masterpieces I was drinking. It was interesting, but made conversation difficult. I would truly like to see Luke in his own establishment. But until that time, definately check out the Bourbon Theater for the best cocktails you'll find in Lincoln. read more

The Bourbon Theater is a great place to go for any person. Fantastic drinks (alcoholic or not). Some of the best concerts I have ever been to, and great staff are at this fine establishment. Very friendly employees but they don't skimp on the rules. If you want a geat cocktail this is the place to go. They are outstanding mixologists with the ability to make your taste buds tingle while your body goes numb from the hooch. The sound guys in this venue are outstanding as well. If its a small or big show they do it all the same, and by the same I mean wonderful. If you are down for a relaxing night of just a couple of drinks and chilling or you want to rage, this is the place for you. Its my favorite and soon to be yours. read more

Caught a show here the other night and enjoyed some drinks. Bartenders were professional and quick. I never waited long for a drink even when it started getting crowded. If you go here you have to try the whiskey and ginger. They make the ginger juice in house and it looked like they add just a splash of club soda to top it off. It's got that ginger bite to it. So good! Only complaint I have is how suffocating-ly hot that it got in the venue. I know when you pack that many people into one place it gets hot but it was already warm in there when there were less people to start. Turn the ac up a bit! I'm definitely hoping to stop by here next time I'm in Lincoln. The bartenders all seemed like good company! read more

This place is literally just an amazing concert venue. There's cities much bigger than Lincoln that don't have anywhere this good. You walk down O Street and can't miss the flashing lit up 1960s theater sign out front. Soon as you walk in you have a large u shaped bar with lots of craft beer, including local stuff, on tap. Right down the stairs is the merch area, and one the sides you can walk up or down into the actual theater. The upper area is all tables and chairs, which a lot of places have gotten rid of. My only bad experiences have been people sitting down being angry at me or others for blocking their view slightly while standing.....The floor has a large bar as well, but only one or two taps of bud/bud light. Good can selection though. Sound quality here is phenomenal. All the concerts I've been to here have been heavy/death metal which are exceptionally loud. The vocals have always been clean and I've never gone home deaf after a show here. Being super close to the stage the sound was even fantastic. Yeah, your ears will ring for a few days, but it's so worth it. Best concert venue I've ever been to. read more

Never received my tickets. Concert was rescheduled due to Covid which was no big deal but I emailed over months to get tickets at least sent to my email. Emailed all the way up to the morning of the show and was ignored until the day after when I was told that all sales are final read more

This place sucks ass went tonight to see Social Distortion and you could not hear Mike Ness or the bands vocals at all and they did nothing to fix it absolutely dissatisfied as it was my husbands first time seeing them and it was a horrible experience. read more

This is one of my favorite spots to go to a show. They book all sorts of events. Staff has always been friendly. 2 years of various shows and I haven't had a bad experience yet! Highly recommend this venue! read more

I am shocked I'm the first one to write a review about the Bourbon Theater. Large music events happen here on a regular basis. This is a music venue that looks like it must have been an old movie theater at one time. There's two bars. The first one is in front which has a *mixologist* bartender that has made some of the craziest, best drinks I have ever had in my life including an absinthe cocktail called the "Touch of Death". I am from Kansas City, and even there I have never seen anything like the stuff that this bartender does except what I've seen on TV. Blenders. Layered drinks. Stuff on fire. You must check it out. The second bar is in the main venue area in back, and it has your more generic faire, since that bar is usually overflowing with beer orders. The main stage is large enough for any act, and the venue, if i were to eyeball it, maybe holds 800 to a thousand people. It has a large dance floor area and a nice sound system. Sometimes they don't even have the main area open, it depends on how large the show is. Overall, pretty nice place to have a music event. read more

I'm not going to act like i've been to many theatres/music venues, because i haven't but I liked the Bourbon theatre. The AC was functional. I went for a Taking Back Sunday concert and we were around the mosh pit for most of it. It got hot and sweaty but i never felt like i was dripping and pouring with sweat. I suspect if i were more boring and just stayed in the back, away from the crowd to enjoy the concert it would've been more than sufficient. Drink prices are average for Nebraska, cheap if you're from a bigger city. It's not the biggest place or nicest place but it's a venue and an above average venue. Another plus is that it's in downtown Lincoln, right in the middle of everything. There are restaurants and bars all around for some post concert fun if that's what you're looking for. I'd def come back. read more

I have been to many many concerts. And I love the acts that the Bourbon brings.... however, last night was around 40 degrees outside, but it felt like over 100 degrees inside the Bourbon. I became dizzy and light headed and it was horrible. I just think if you are going to bank by jamming that many bodies into a space you could probably spend a little more money on an efficient cooling system. read more

I LOVE the bourbon. Their crew is always friendly! The venue itself is amazing. I've been to many shows, the bands always look and sound great. The staff obviously love their jobs, they're always have fun behind the bar. read more

The venue holds MANY great shows and acts. The drinks are priced very standard for our area and they have the usual selection. The sound is quite good for a venue this size and the floor is easy to navigate. I recommend going early to get a few drinks down and get a good spot near the stage. I only gave it 4 stars because of it's capacity. Jeremiah, any way you could get Clutch back? They were amazing! read more

Sweet, huge venue, lots of good shows, bar, good sound.

My favorite venue that I've ever been to, in and out of state. The bartenders are fantastic, friendly and fast. The door guys are my favorite, super nice, fun to talk to, and if you get to know them on a personal level, they treat you pretty nicely. I've seen almost all of my favorite bands and DJs here. I've never been disappointed and it's rarely sold out. I'm a fan of smaller venues, and this is by far the best one. read more

Great music theater to see a band, and the way it is build it amazing! However, when waiting outside after 4 hours it's ridiculous and annoying when you cut the line in half, so the people who got there 4 hours early were going in at the exact same time the ones who got their 20 minutes ago. read more

Great venue, but quite possibly the WORST customer service given by wait and door staff. We were there for the David Cook concert on 3.7.15 and all I can say is WOW.....I would never treat a customer in the manner that we were. I do not know who runs/manages this operation, but I recommend that they have all their staff take a course from Zig Zigler, or just the golden rule if that's too complicated for them. read more

I was in Lincoln for five days and went to a George Clinton Parliament/Funkadelic concert at the Bourbon. The staff was friendly and and the payment/wristband process took 10 seconds. Security seemed to be non-existant... the way it should be when done right. The mood was happy, the sound system pretty clean considering the volume being pumped out. I recommend the Bourbon. read more

The venue is dirty and smells like stale beer. I went to a concert all the way from Kansas City and couldn't have been more disappointed. I came in early - my ticket was never scanned and the entire staff never said a word about my needing a wrist band. When a guy came up to me screaming threatening to have me arrested if I didn't leave told me "I don't care" when I tried to explain. I get to the front door and finally explain myself - get my ticket scanned. Said dude rolls his eyes and says he's sorry. The only bright spot was the one guy in front of the stage who saved my spot for my friend and I. I will not be making the trip again after the way I was treated. I can't believe the way I was screamed at and the hole staff just had a bad attitude. It's also so hot in there its ridiculous - my friend became sick because of it and no one cared read more

My favorite venue EVER. I've seen and fallen in love with more music here than anywhere else, and when I travel (which is often) there are rarely venues that compare. Great staff, amazing drinks (treat yourself! don't skimp on cheap, get a nice martini or whiskey sour!! they make their own sour mix!) and one of the largest dance floors downtown. LOVE THIS PLACE :] read more

Before I even went into the venue a staff member pulled me over for my tiny purse and said that it was too big for the venue (I take this same bag to all the shows I go to because of how small it is, and I only use a bag to carry my wallet/phone). What if someone had something important to keep in their bags like medical supplies or personal hygiene items? I don't understand why they don't just search everyones bags like every other venue I've been to.. when the guy I gave my ticket continued to tell me it was because my bag would take up too much space and they wanted the room for more people to fit. The venue is already small as it is, and if they were smart they would lower the max capacity and that wouldn't have been an issue to begin with. On top of that I barely had any room to move while I was there, and the staff that I dealt with gave me, and a few other people I witnessed, shitty attitudes. It's been a while since I've been here but it seems to have gone down hill. read more